


let's walk down insanity lane

by icoeurus



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: AU, Demons?, Insanity, Kingdom/royalty AU, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:46:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2254677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icoeurus/pseuds/icoeurus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Prince Gavin runs aways from his infamous kingdom, he expects new places and adventure - and that's exactly what he gets. What started out as a simple want for a change of scenery turns dark when King Geoff sends him and his new friends into the Nether to 'take care' of a soul for him. But in the end, not everyone will win.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Gavin curled into his covers, comfortable under the soft material. His room was large and empty, save for his bed, the dresser beside it and a padded chair in the corner of the room. Banners sporting the kingdom's sign, a hawk with claws bared on a dark green background hung on the wall behind his bed, constantly reminding him where he's from.

A map of the world was directly across from him, covering most of the wall with small labels of the different place names. Gavin was mesmerized with it, it being one of the closest things to discovering the different lands. He had books about the different kingdoms and lands before his father had confiscated them from him with nothing more than a scoff and a short berating.

His breathing was the loudest sound in the room as he stared at the moon between the cracks of his curtains. He waited for the servants' footsteps to stop passing by his door before slipping out of his bed and quickly changing into the most normal clothing a prince could find. A collared shirt, a vest that split into two tails at the back, pants and his pair of boots.

He liked being a prince, not having a lot of responsibility (aside from his studies – which were almost always tinged with barbarity). But it was the fact that he was the prince of a kingdom who hanged anyone who went against the law or kept everyone in order with threats of death. Exiling someone was apparently never heard of and Gavin figured it was because they kept their life.

He carefully folded his sleepwear and left it on top of the dresser along with the emerald circlet he hated wearing and walked over to his closet and pulled out a winter cloak, green with the kingdom symbol scratched out from the button and put it on. He slung the bag he'd hid the other day over his shoulder, the weight of the coins and rations in it heavy on him. He took out his bow and arrows from his closet and tucked his two knives into a strap in his boots. He left his room, slipping into the hallway and snuck to one of the side exits, knowing the main gate would be heavily guarded.

The kingdom of Coaven was asleep, with guards patrolling the streets. Gavin hid in the shadows, holding his bag to stop the contents from jiggling around. He climbed atop one of the buildings, huffing when the gates outside weren't even close. Gavin figured he still had to go through the plaza and several more residential areas. He gritted his teeth when he heard the footsteps and yells of the guards. He crouched out of view, holding his breath wisely to avoid being caught.

“Here!” A voice shouted. It was the head of the night watchmen with a name Gavin didn't bother to remember. “He's over here!”

Gavin's stop breathing for a moment, peering around the chimney to see what's going on. Form the looks of it, a man had tried to take a dip in the river nearby and forgot about the curfew. He winced, reaching for his bow but stopped halfway, frozen as he watched a guard shoot the man down. He wasn't the only one watching, he realized, looking across the street where a girl, no older than ten glanced out her window. She spotted him as well, eyes widening at the prince. He waved at her, motioning for her to go back inside before the guards caught her and she nodded; the curtain closing as fast as it opened.

Gavin decided it was best to stay on the rooftops, bounding across them with light feet. He was lucky that they were close to together, he thought, barely having to jump to get across them. He seemed to get through town faster that way and Gavin had to hop down from the rooftop when he reached the plaza.

It was one of the better places in Coaven, with the stalls in rows and incredible food. Gavin considered it the only place he'll miss as he sneaked around the outskirts of it, mud from yesterday's rain collecting on his boots.

The gates were large, wide enough for two carriages side-by-side to come through and certainly tall enough for almost _anything_ to fit through. Guards stood on top of the wall, alert and despite the fact that he was of higher rank, a tinge of fear lingered. He took in a breath, marching with his back straightened and a high level of authority clouded around him. The guards on the ground immediately drew their weapons, but respectively bowed to Gavin.

“Your Royal Highness, is there something you need?” The guard eyed his bag warily and it took everything in Gavin not to shy away from the pointed bows from the guards on the wall.

“I'm going out.” The guards shared a look.

“I'm sorry but Commander-”

“My words override his. Open the gates.” Gavin hated using his rank in such a manner and it made him feel like his father when people tried to speak against him.

“But-”

“Lower your weapons. What are you trying to do, harm me?” The words felt foreign on his tongue as he spoke. “That would count as treason against anyone in the royal family.”

He smugly watched them shift comfortably, continuing to speak when they didn't answer. “You know how much the king hates treason. Now, open the gates.”

That did it. With a hurried apology, the gate opened enough for him to walk through. He strode out, biting back a grin.

“And by the way,” he spun around, addressing no one in particular. “None of you saw me.”

His back was answered with a chorus of uneasy 'yes, sir's' and his grin went unseen by anyone. The fall night was bright enough for him not to use a torch and he chewed on a piece of dried meat that he packed. He stopped once to check his map and he started to head towards the only kingdom he was interested in.

Arcadia, ruled by King Geoff.


	2. Chapter 1

 He ended up at a small town near sunrise and he pulled up his hood, adamant on not getting caught. He kept his head down, clutching his bag tightly. He wasn't tired and the next town was only a couple hours away on horseback. The ranch on the outskirts of the town looked promising as he walked into the supermarket, booths selling random trinkets and produce down the path.

He smiled. It certainly wasn't like the one in Coaven with its stands made from birch and oak, but it had the same homey feel with the smiling merchants and stringed lights. Few people paid attention to him, most brushing him off as just another traveller and continued their shopping.

He restocked his rations, always mumbling his 'thank you' near the end in fear of being recognized. Most of the surrounding kingdoms and towns knew who he was; the heir to the throne and quite a force to be reckoned with when armed with a bow and arrow. He heard what they said about them once, from his personal guard (and friend) Dan and how they respected him out of fear that he'd be like his father. He remembered smacking Dan in the arm when he laughed about them fearing him.

The ranch was only a walk away, a small building attached to a fenced-in area with several horses grazing the grass. Watching them make his heart ache for his own horse, a grey mare equipped with a comfortable saddle made with leather and velvet. He entered the building and the man behind the cash register greeted him amiably and Gavin guessed he hadn't had a traveller come around in a while.

“I need a horse,” Gavin replied in short, his fingers twirling around a gold coin in his bag. The man nodded, escorting him out to the stables.

The horses were taken care of, Gavin noted as he walked beside the equestrian.

“Any preference?” Gavin shrugged, taking his hand out of his bag to pet one of the horses. He tugged on his hood, making sure it didn't fall off. The man raised an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut.

“The fastest you have,” the man pondered for a bit before leading him outside where the horses trotted around the open space. Gavin watched as the man strode over to a dark chestnut one, leading it over to him. The horse whinnied contently when Gavin stroked its head.

“Are you sure? Edgar's pricy. Five silver coins pricy, actually.” Gavin tossed him a gold and the man fumbled, staring at it in shock.

“I- no, I mean-” Gavin laughed, running a hand through his hair. The man froze, mouth agape and Gavin starts to ask him what's wrong when his breath hitches in his throat, tensing up. His hood. He pulled it back on immediately, looking to the street to see if anyone else had seen. No one had, but the lump in his throat persisted as he looked back at the man.

“Your Royal Highness, I-” Gavin shushed him, biting his lip.

“You never saw me. I’ll just take the horse and be on my way, alright?” The man nodded vigorously before holding the gold coin out back to him.

“You don't – you can have the horse, it's okay-” Gavin shook his head, grabbing a hung saddle and strapping it to the horse. The man watched him warily, the coin feeling like fire in his hand. Gavin hopped on the horse, shakily grabbing the reins. He didn't bother with goodbyes, bringing the horse to a run and jumping the fence. He bounded down the path and out of the town, earning odd looks from passersby. He clenched his teeth, berating himself for not being careful. He pulled out his map, deciding to skip the next town and rest in the town over.

He sighed, tugging his hood over his eyes.

~

He left his horse at the town stables before entering a pub nearby, taking a seat at the bar. Only a few people littered the room and Gavin was glad, ordering a beer. He carefully rolled up his shirt sleeves, making sure not to budge his cloak. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, sipping his beer. He paid little attention to the man beside him and he jumped when they spoke.

“Never did I think I'd see a prince here,” Gavin's breath hitched in his throat. The man's voice was deep, quiet enough for only the two to hear.

“How do you-”

“Please, it's obvious, isn't it?” Gavin blinked. “Well, the tattoo on your arm kind of gives it away.”

Gavin followed the stranger's eyes to his forearm where said tattoo laid. The symbol of Coaven was inked onto his skin and Gavin subconsciously pulled his cloak over it. All royal families in the kingdoms had some sort of sign to show their rank; some had pendants or circlets, but Coaven required permanent tattoos. Gavin rested the rim of his glass against his lip. The man watched him questionably before turning away.

“What are you doing here, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be torturing people while sipping wine?” He laughed and Gavin's skin prickled with discomfort and anger. The man noticed his reaction and frowned. “Sorry, thought you'd know about the stereotypes.”

Gavin loosened a bit but his guard stayed raised. He turned to him for the first time and noticed the staff that leaned against the counter. “I'm travelling,” he explained, ignoring the last sentence. “Arcadia, hopefully.”

“Funny, I'm making my way over there as well; meeting a friend. I'm leaving this morning, and considering the fact that you're in hiding, you're probably doing the same.” He paused and Gavin glanced over at him, waiting for him continue. “It'd be less suspicious if you're not travelling alone.”

“I don't even know your name.” Gavin mumbled and the man laughed; hearty and Gavin raised his eyebrows.

“Ryan.”

“Well, you already know me, so, _Ryan_...” Gavin pondered, tapping his finger on the bar counter. " Why not?”


	3. Chapter 2

They left town at dawn on their horses and the silence settled in quickly. It didn’t bother Gavin too much, who was used to both silence and isolation but Ryan shifted on his horse, turning to the prince.

“I wouldn’t have invited you along if I didn’t want to talk.” He said curtly and Gavin spared him a glance.

“Much less invited me along; I was leaving anyway.” He retorted, playing with the reins. Ryan sighed. His staff was clutched in one hand, the other expertly handling the horse.

“Ryan Haywood, of Nyx. Freelancer mage. Uh,” his mind searched for something else to say. “Favourite colour red…?”

His tilted his head towards Gavin expectantly. " _Souv te_?”

Gavin furrows his eyebrows, roughly translating the question to ' _And you?’_ He frowned at the formality, but kept his mouth shut about it.

“You speak Caltic?” Gavin doesn’t realize that it’s a dumb question until the older man gives him a sarcastic glare.

“No, I don’t,” he deadpanned. _“Yes,_ I know how to speak Caltic.” This emitted a giggle out of Gavin, turning to face the other direction.

“Alright then. Gavin Free, of Coaven. Prince. Favourite colour green.” Ryan muttered ‘obviously’ under his breath and Gavin opened his mouth to protest before Ryan gestured to his clothing, which consisted of green, darker green, and oh look, _green_.

“Maybe I’m just representing my kingdom. I am a prince after all.” Gavin mumbled, a hint of a smile on his face. Ryan huffed.

“Please. You’re on your way to another land; I doubt you’d want to show where you’re from.” Gavin slouched in defeat. Ryan chuckled from beside him, using his staff to cast a simple map in front of him.

“We’re a couple hours away from the next town. We can stop for a rest there,” Gavin groaned impatiently, scrunching his nose at Ryan. His eyes lit up enthusiastically before his smile returned.

“I bet we could get there in one.” Ryan looked at him quizzically before he noticed how he held the reins and hurriedly closed his map. Gavin didn't wait for him and zipped off down the path with a ‘hiya!’ and laughed when he looked back at Ryan trying to catch up to him.

~~

He sat on the throne, head resting on his hand; bored. His brown hair was matted under his crown, an intimidating piece of gold engraved with emeralds and sapphires. It upstaged the circlet he fiddled with in his hand as he watched the servants outside run about, fulfilling his wishes.

A door to his right opened and his lips pressed into a smile, turning to greet his visitor.

“Gruchy. Fine day today, no?” Said man knelt before him, a lump in his throat.

“My king,” the king didn’t notice his discomfort, continuing on.

“It appears that my son has, ah, _left_ our kingdom,” he threw the circlet near Dan’s foot with a landing _clink_. Of course Dan knew Gavin was gone; the news had spread amongst the commonwealth before noon and they spoke about it in hushed whispers when they thought no one was listening. He’d heard it from a baker when he took a break in the plaza.

Dan hesitated before looking up at his king, urging him to go on.

“You’re his personal guard; you’d know where he’d go.” _Arcadia_ _,_ the name rang in Dan’s ear. Gavin told him about what he read about the kingdom when they ate at dinner. “Fetch him for me, will you? We can’t have the heir to the throne running about, it’s not safe.” His tone was mocking near the end and he laughed quietly to himself. “Do whatever it takes to bring him back and don’t be afraid to dispose of anyone that gets in your way. I'll give you more details later.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

~~

They do, in fact, make it to the town in an hour.

After checking their horses into the stable, they take lunch in a pub nearby. On the way, Gavin insisted on looking at the billboard because of a WANTED poster that caught his eye. Ryan raised an eyebrow at it before dragging Gavin inside the building and sitting them down at a table near the back.

“How long until we reach Arcadia?” Gavin asked quietly, sipping on his water. Ryan looked behind him, making sure no one paid them attention before casting the map on the surface of their table, blue illuminating their faces. Gavin leaned over, breath gracing over Ryan's shoulder as he peaked at the map.

“Couldn't you use your own?” Ryan muttered and Gavin flashed him a grin. He shook his head, tracing the route with his finger. Red followed the tip of his finger and Gavin watched Ryan silently; never having seen magic first-hand.

“Should be another week, give or take a day.” Gavin nodded, thanking the waiter who brought their food. “Although Syan is a beautiful city, we can stay-”

“ _Absolutely not._ ” Gavin replies, a little too fast for either of their likings. He fidgets in his seat, averting Ryan's gaze. Gavin knew his father would send someone after him and there was no time to be wasted. He quickly realized his selfishness and backtracked. “Oh, but we can stay if you want, it's fine-”

Ryan seemed to understand and nodded, eating his lunch without mentioning it again, much to the silent thanks of Gavin. The latter felt a twinge of guilt from keeping Ryan from exploring around town, but he smiled nonetheless because of Ryan’s selflessness.

The door to the pub opened, the door rattling on its hinges. Several people, including the pair, turned their heads to the newcomer. A man slightly shorter than Gavin stormed in, sword hanging on his waist. He nodded slightly to the manager before looking around the room and made his way towards Ryan and Gavin’s table.

“What are you-“ Michael shushed Ryan, pretending that he was part of their group. Gavin knew immediately that he was in hiding, because looking at him made Gavin feel like looking in a mirror; hood on, eyes casted downward and posture so bad they avoided the back of the chair like the plague.

The sound of horses echo from outside and Michael tensed in his seat, gripping the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white.

“Over here!” A guard, Gavin guessed, yelled from outside. They passed by the doorway, taking the sound with them down the street. The stranger relaxed, rubbing his eyes from under his glasses. Gavin watched him curiously.

“You’re that guy from the poster.” The man glared at him, making Gavin shrink in his seat. Ryan frowned at the iron grip he had on his sword.

“Michael, right?” His tone was light, as if he was addressing a friend. Michael nodded, hesitantly taking his hand off of the hilt of his sword. Gavin bounced back to normal, grinning but keeping to himself.

“Ryan, and this is-“ Ryan caught himself in the middle of his sentence turning to Gavin who froze in his seat. Michael looked between them expectantly, impatient.

“Well?” He asked Gavin. Gavin was torn whether or not he could trust him, after all, he _was_ wanted for quite a high bounty. He hesitated and Ryan took it upon himself to side-track their conversation.

“What’d you do, anyway?” His attempt was effective and Michael turned to him, eyes narrow.

“I’m pretty sure it was on the - nevermind. Well,” he smirked, “I robbed several shops after they refused to serve me. I’m surprised that you even recognized me, the drawing on the poster’s absolute shit.”

They snickered and Gavin loosened up, taking a drink from his glass.

“By the way, you still haven’t told me your name.” Michael pressed and Gavin almost choked on his water.

“It’s, uh, a secret.” He mumbled, looking away.

“Lemme tell you, out of all people a robber is probably going to judge you the least.” Michael huffed. _Ryan didn’t._ Gavin bit his lip to stop the thought from being voiced aloud.

“Uh, Gavin.” Michael raised his eyebrows.

“Is that it? Is that seriously what you were worried about?” The other two’s faces slowly turn into ones of realization when they figure out that no, Michael did not recognize who Gavin was. The lad almost cheered in delight while Ryan tried to figure out who _wouldn't_ know the prince of a kingdom nearby.

“Unless you're hiding something?” Michael wriggled his eyebrows. Gavin laughed along, but Ryan noted how his grip tightened around his glass.

“I barely know Gavin myself and I already know that he's a shit liar.” Gavin shoved Ryan from across the table, cheeks tinted pink. He opened his mouth to retaliate but Michael waved him off, snickering into his fist.

“Oh, don't even try.”

 


	4. Chapter 3

It's only been a week since Gavin left and it's already been better than the twenty-five years he spent in Coaven.

Michael was a traveller and tagged along with them to Arcadia with a statement that only implied he had a friend there and after a long hour of convincing and bribes, his two companions finally got him to stop at the next town over, a city known for its bright festivals and marketplace. Gavin was secretly glad they talked him into it, because his hand almost immediately went to his bag, twirling the coins around his fingers as soon as he stepped into the plaza.

“Wow,” he breathed, taking in his surroundings. The shops and stalls looked new, decorations painted on the sides. People busied down the streets, wary of the few horses. Gavin bounded down the sidewalk, leaving Michael and Ryan to try and follow him without bumping into every other person like he did.

Gavin entered a shop, looking oddly delighted at the _ring_ the bell on top of the door made.

“Aren't you happy?” Ryan teased, looking at the trinkets on the shelves. Michael was interested in a wooden bear statuette, turning it over with a smirk. Gavin nodded ecstatically.

“Dad never let me out of castle grounds and the few times he did I was always heavily guarded, so, couldn't really do anything fun.” Gavin explained, eyes darting around to make sure no one else heard. “Part of the reason I left.”

Ryan hummed in response, looking at the glass figurines. “Well, I heard that they're holding a festival tomorrow for the harvest,” Gavin perked at that, looking between Ryan and Michael excitedly. “There's an inn down the street, if you wanna stay.”

“Hell yeah I do!” Michael replied, walking over when the topic came up. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, statuette forgotten. “Gavin, we can show you how much crap you can get away with during festivals.”

Gavin laughed, mind racing over the possibilities. “Yeah, why not, right?”

Ryan looked mildly concerned of what the two would do, but smiled all the same.

~~

Gavin stared at the ceiling in disbelief, gripping the blanket to keep his hands still. It was nearing midnight and sleeping hasn't crossed his mind once. He was too busy thinking of the festival tomorrow and though ridiculous, the idea of _not_ being treated like royalty at it excited him.

He turned on his side, grin seeming permanent on his face. Through a sliver of the curtains he could see the streets, imagining the excitement that was never present in Coaven. He pressed his face into the sheets, feeling strangely at home in the small inn.

He dreamed of riding his horse, Michael and Ryan at his sides.

~~

The festival is so much better than Gavin expected.

Streamers criss-crossed down the roads and the plaza in the middle of it all had people occupying the picnic tables and sitting on the rim of the fountain. If anybody recognized Gavin, with his hood hanging dangerously off of his head, they didn't seem to care and smiled back when he greeted them.

“I can't imagine what you did in Coaven,” Ryan commented as Gavin purchased a charm to clip on his belt. It was a tree, leaves coloured red and orange. He put it on just beside his quiver of arrows, it standing out against the brown leather of his belt. Gavin faltered, mind running over the days when he was sealed inside the castle, forced to practice his 'manners' and learning how to rule the kingdom when he _didn't_ become king because he was sure his dad had his eyes on his younger brother to be the heir.

He shrugged in response, feigning a a smile and walking ahead of the two. Michael and Ryan shared a look before following the younger man, spirits lifted when Gavin lit up again at a street performer.

They dropped the subject.

~~

Sometime in the day they end up in a bar, secluded from everyone else in a corner of the room with shots lined up in front of them. Five each, to be specific.

Gavin held his first one, cheekily clinking his glass against Michael and Ryan's. They downed it in synchronization, not skipping a beat to move onto their next. Ryan paused after his third, smirking at how Gavin's arm wobbled. He should've known that the lad wasn't very good at holding his liquor.

“I think I'm starting to feel something.” Gavin slurred and Michael patted him on the back. Unlike the two, Ryan remained somewhat stable after his five and laughed at the two when they got into an argument.

“No! What I'm saying is,” Gavin stopped in the middle of his sentence as if he forgotten what he was going to say next and laughed, squeaks earning a couple of lighthearted looks from the other patrons. The argument is long forgotten and hours later the night is over when Gavin almost passed out at the table.

“C'mon, time to go, Gav.” Ryan helped him out of his seat, slinging an arm around Gavin's shoulders to keep him steady. Michael was on Gavin's other side, using his sword as a cane to keep him upright. They stumbled out of the bar past midnight, the air surprisingly warm for autumn. Few people still littered the streets, most of them drunkenly trying to get back to their homes.

The inn was just down the street and Ryan smiled apologetically at the man at the desk when Michael almost slashed a chair open with his blade. He laughed in return, waving the three off with a _have a good night_ and a packet of tea that he promised would help the hangover the following morning.

After Michael was safely put to bed, sword out of hand, Ryan worked on Gavin next, clumsily unlocking the door and dragged Gavin to his own.

“Alright, time for bed Gav.” Ryan prodded when he tried to resist against the mage, wanting to stay up despite his eyes already being half-lidded. Gavin clung onto Ryan's arm in a weak attempt to avoid his bed until the older man pushed him off and he landed on the mattress with a _thud._ “Get some sleep, we're leaving tomorrow at noon, okay?”

Gavin made a half-committed noise, curling up into the sheets. He had a goofy smile on his face as he closed his eyes, arm hanging off the edge. “Mmkay. Night, Ryan.”

“Goodnight, Gavin.” Ryan smiled at him before leaving the room with a warm feeling in his chest that he recognized as fondness.

~~

Ryan was surprised when he woke up with the worst hangover, head pounding and everything not feeling right around him.

A knock at the door had him dragging his feet across the room, opening it with a tinge of annoyance. “What- oh hey, Gav.”

He let him in before sitting on the edge of his bed, rubbing his face tiredly. He peeked from behind his fingers to see Gavin as fine as ever, adjusting his cloak with ease.

“How are you fine? You were the drunkest out of all of us!” Ryan groaned, stretching his arms out in front of him. Gavin shrugged, smiling at Ryan over his shoulder as he made his way to the door.

“Anyway, we're having breakfast downstairs. Clean up fast so you can get something to eat before we leave, yeah?” Ryan nodded and Gavin closed the door behind him, leaving Ryan in his room.

Ryan quickly washed up with a cloth before slinging his bag over his shoulder and making his way downstairs.

He quickly spotted Gavin and Michael at a table and took a seat. Michael seemed to be in a better shape than he's in, but his head was supported by his hand and he barely seemed to be listening to what Gavin was saying.

“Morning,” Ryan greeted as he nipped at a slice of bread. He got a halfhearted response from Michael, who pushed his food around tiredly with his fork. Gavin looked up from his map, smiling briefly before frowning at the piece of paper in his hand. “What's up?”

“Nothing,” Gavin shrugged, folding up the map and putting it back into his bag. “It's just that we're going to pass by Altin, that's all.”

Ryan stopped rubbing his temple, snapping his head up. Altin was a major manufacturer city for Coaven and unlike the town they currently resided in, if they figured out who Gavin was they wouldn't hesitate alerting the nearest guards.

“Maybe we could go around? I know a path that-” Ryan was cut off by Michael, who looked between the two, confused.

“C'mon, I understand that it's a shitty town but do we really need to avoid it all together? It'd take less time to just-” Gavin shook his head, much too fast for either of their likings.

“Nah, I think that it'd be better to just skip around it, yeah?” Gavin fidgeted in his chair, laughing awkwardly to spite himself.

“What's up with you?” Michael asked and Gavin avoided his gaze. “Gavin?”

“No, it's fine. It's just – nevermind.” He waved it off, adjusting his bow and effectively making it more uncomfortable on his shoulder. He abruptly stood up, pushing his chair so far back that it almost hit the man behind him and grabbed his bag, looking over his shoulder to Michael and Ryan. “Are you coming or not?”

“But-”

“Let's go, Michael.” Ryan pulled him out of his chair, ignoring the small protest the younger man gave.

“Okay, okay, I'm coming.”


	5. Chapter 4

Gavin was tense the moment they left town.

His hood hung over his eyes and his nails left crescent-shaped marks in his palms. If Michael noticed anything, he stayed quiet and made conversation nonetheless, breaking the silence several times.

Ryan constantly snuck glances to his side, wishing that they'd just avoid the town so that Gavin wouldn't always half-ass his responses and look up from the ground.

“Halt.” They were stopped by a guard, armoured in sliver with the Free family crest over his left side. “What business do you have in Altin?”

“We're simply passing by,” Ryan explained. The guard opened his mouth again, but Michael was quick, cutting him off.

“Travelling to Arcadia, to be precise.” He gave a convincing smile and Gavin did his best to do the same. His breath caught in his throat when he realized that he knew the guard; a man with too many alias and along with Dan, was one of his closest friends. Gavin tilted his head, trying to figure out what name it was this time when he saw it; a stripe of white down the left side of his glasses. Their gazes locked and the guard's eyes widened, stumbling back in shock.

“Gavin?” Michael immediately drew his sword but Gavin lurched forward to stop him before he harmed his friend. “I – is that – _what_?”

“Hey, uh, Darien.” Gavin offered a smile, slightly lifting his hood up to clarify that he was, in fact, the prince they were looking for. Darien blinked before regaining his posture, relaxing considerably.

“What are you doing?” Darien whispered through his clenched teeth, leaning forward. He looked at the prince through his glasses, narrowing his eyes.“Why are you here? Like, I'm happy to see that you're alive but if you're trying to run away what the hell are you doing in Altin?”

“Shortcut,” Gavin explained, eyeing the guards' quarters behind Darien. “Can you get us through Altin? Preferably in one piece?”

Darien sighed, looking over his shoulder hesitantly before turning back, adjusting his glasses. “I can try, but I swear to god, Gav, if I get fired-”

“Cheers, Dare,” Gavin smiled and Darien laughed despite himself and took the reins from Gavin's hands.

“Anytime, Vav.”

~~

They're officially in the city when cobblestone buildings come into view and people part ways when they see Darien, respectfully clearing a path for them. A little boy, no older than ten, bounded up to Darien, hands behind his back.

“Philippe! Don't-” Darien raised his hand, smiling gently at the mother who watched him warily. He knelt down so he was eye level with the boy and ruffled his hair gently.

“Hey, Phil. Mind making this quick? I'm working,” he vaguely gestured behind him to the trio who smiled lightheartedly. The boy looked at them uneasily and considering the fact that three armed, hooded men weren't exactly people to trust, they didn't blame him.

He nodded enthusiastically before showing Darien the three roses he held behind his back, grinning when Darien's face lit up. He thanked the boy and Gavin snickered behind his hand.

“You see, Darien tries to act tough with his sword but he's the biggest _nerd_ I know.” He whispered and Michael snorted, earning an annoyed look from Darien as the boy walked off.

“Oh shut up,” He grinned, leading them through the streets once again with the roses tucked away in his belt. They kept their heads down as Darien talked his way through several guards and they were halfway through town when they noticed the townsfolk watching them warily. Gavin leaned forward, tapping Darien's shoulder.

He whispered something in his ear and as if on cue, guards stumbled out from a nearby quarter and frantically pointed at them.

“It's him! Capture him immediately!” Now, whether they were talking about Gavin or Michael didn't matter because in a flash Darien had hopped onto a horse from a passing carriage, unclasping the lead that held it to the vehicle.

“Follow me!” They didn't hesitate, tailing him through the streets, the sound of hooves mixing with the startled screams of the passersby who dove out of the way of the four horses. Gavin took his bow, loading an arrow in before sending it straight into the knee of one of the guards' horses. He watched it disappear in the crowd, a painful whinny following. Gavin winced at the animal's pain and muttered a 'sorry' under his breath as he took down another horse.

“Gavin!” He turned back around at Ryan's voice, grabbing a hold on his reins again to catch up. Their horses jumped over a portable stall, breaking the top of it. Darien, who was in front, reassuringly stroked his horse's mane when they landed, checking for any cuts it might have gotten.

“This way!” Darien commanded, making a sharp turn into the fields. The forest was in front of them and they almost made it when an arrow landed whizzed past Gavin's ear, almost hitting Darien. The latter yelped, looking behind them to see several guards on horseback following them. “Uh, guys?”

“I got it,” Ryan raised his staff, conjuring up a wall between the two groups and the guards stopped in their tracks before they grazed the bit of magic. They were surrounded in it, a circle of faint blue that was as strong as diamond. They watched the guards glare at them before vanishing through the tree line, continuing on for a little longer before stopping, sliding off their horses.

Gavin immediately turned to Darien, apologies on the tip of his tongue but the guard only laughed, waving him off.

“Relax, Gavin. I'll be fine.” Gavin wasn't convinced, taking out a handful of gold coins and shoved them into a pouch on the other's belt. Darien's eyes widened before Gavin pulled him into a hug, patting his back affectionately.

“Hey, when you overthrow your dad come find me yeah?” They laughed at the old joke when Ryan called Gavin's name, looking in the direction of the other guards.

“Gavin, let's go.” Gavin stayed put, ignoring the other two.

“You'll be the first knight.” Gavin replied, shaking Darien's outstretched hand. Michael looked ready to drag Gavin back to his horse when the latter made his way towards them, brushing against Darien to whisper something in his ear.

“See you soon, _X-Ray._ ” He mounted his horse with a grin that matched Darien's before they bounded off into the forest.

~~

“What'd you say to him?” Michael asked as they came out of the forest; Gavin still with the ridiculous grin on his face. He shrugged in response, which earned a look from Ryan but he left it alone, pulling up his hologram map.

“Where are we?” Gavin asked, leaning uncomfortably close to Ryan to sneak a peak at the map. He narrowly dodged Ryan's attempt to swat him away and hovered beside him, awkwardly balancing himself with a tight grip on Ryan's arm.

“Just outside Queen Tuggey's land. The border's only around ten miles ahead.” Gavin smiled grimly at the surname, old memories of the family resurfacing.

The Free and Tuggey houses were trading partners – and no more. They had neutral relations and Gavin's only met the other family once; when he was at the ripe age of eighteen and decidedly the 'perfect' suitor for their daughter, Lindsay.

He didn't remember anything else from that night, other than getting drunk with the princess in a rebellious action against both of their parents. He vaguely recalled hiding in their castle gardens from the guards, drunkenly laughing behind their hands when the guards didn't spot them.

Needless to say, when they were found in the morning sleeping in the library, Gavin's parents were less than amused. The King and Queen of House Tuggey laughed off the situation and invited them down to breakfast before Gavin's dad could get a word out about how irresponsible he was. As soon as they stepped foot back into their castle, Gavin winced when his dad berated him on 'ruining their one good chance to ally with House Tuggey' while his mother spoke with Dan about keeping him locked in his room for the week.

“Gavin!” Ryan snapped his fingers in front of the man's face and Gavin blinked several times before looking to his side. “Jeez, aren't you attentive.”

“I – what are we talking about?” Michael snickered and Ryan huffed in annoyance, moving his map right in front of Gavin's face and mockingly overlapping the blue map with red lines to show _specifically_ what he meant.

“We are going to _skip_ over Licia-” -the red line circled then crossed out the town- “-and spend the night in _Maglin_ , okay?” The line circled around the town multiply times, almost angrily and Gavin giggled at it.

“Let's get going then, yeah?”


	6. Chapter 5

 “He was here? Both of them?” The woman nodded, face pale as she rubbed her arm nervously. Dan pursed his lips and dismissed her, turning around to talk to the captain. “May I speak to you?”

He led them away from everyone else, leaning against a nearby wall; rubbing his eyes. The captain watched him warily, shifting in place as he decided on a respectful position to be in when he was five feet away from the high ranking knight. “Something you need, Knight Gruchy?”

Dan waved off the formality, sighing at the situation. He'd been known to clean up Gavin's mess more than once, but this? His shoulders sagged at the information given to him – how Gavin was having a rendezvous with the infamous  _Michael Jones_ and a mage who looked like he could take down an entire garrison with his magic.

_Oh, Gavin,_ he thought wistfully,  _what have you gotten yourself into?_

“Um, Knight Gruchy?” The knight blinked, hazed, but smiled when he answered.

“I can take it from here; you and your guards will stay in Altin and I'll follow them.” The captain looked ready to protest but Dan raised his hand, silencing him. “The prince is predicable, but the other two...” He looked away, contemplating on what to do. “I'll gather some of my best and we'll head after them. Your station is here and it'd be wrong for me to leave this town less protected – even by a few guards.”

The captain agreed and walked off, leaving Dan to his thoughts.

~~

Naturally, when they crossed into the land of House Tuggey, the guards stationed near the borders are suspicious. Gavin was sure they recognized him, with the knowledge that the prince of Coaven is missing but they didn't say anything; instead tying a letter to a hawk's leg and sent it off. Gavin watched this happen with sweaty palms, rubbing them against his pants constantly.

They reached the next town in no time, travellers seeming to outnumber the actual residents. It wasn't uncommon for people to be travelling to Tuggey's land, mainly because of how many winter-based festivals they had. After all, their symbol was a snow leopard.

They busied down the street, luckily getting the last couple of stalls in the stables for their horses. The sun was already setting behind the church and Gavin rubbed his eye tiredly, stretching his limbs as Ryan and Michael booked their rooms. He raised his eyebrows when they returned with two keys, not three and was already deciding what he would do for Rock, Paper, Scissors.

“So,” Michael said, hand already balled into a fist. “Who's going first?”

~~

“I don't get how paper beats rock.” Gavin muttered as he placed his stuff on his bed. Ryan smirked from the other bed, sorting through the contents in his bag. Gavin was glad that the room included two beds, because if he had to share a bed with Ryan he'd die from embarrassment.

He leaned his bow and quiver against the wall unclasped his cloak, hanging it on the chair. He reached into his boots and took out his two knives, the design etched into the sheath coming from his input when he was seventeen; Gavin placed them on the nightstand. He unbuttoned his vest, instinctively folding it and putting it to the side. He started to do the same to his vest when Ryan spoke up.

“Aren't you neat,” Gavin looked up momentarily, comparing his neat, folded clothing to Ryan's untidy pile and looked at Ryan, confused.

“Your point?” Ryan shrugged, taking off his next piece of clothing. “I mean, I'm still a prince.”

“It's just,” Ryan moved his hands while he spoke, trying to convey the message as best as possible. “You don't seem like the kind of person to be that _organized._ ”

“Wow, thanks, Ryan.” Gavin muttered sarcastically as he folded his last piece of clothing. He was left in his boxers and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Okay, so, who's-”

He cut himself off when Ryan had hastily looked away (he was  _staring?_ ), gnawing on his bottom lip. Gavin's eyes widened when he saw the faint pink on Ryan's cheek and made an uncommitted squeaking noise in the back of his throat. He hurriedly slipped under the cover to hide his own blush, hiding his face in his hands.

“Goodnight, Ryan.”

~~

The morning was less than normal.

When Gavin woke up, Ryan already left for breakfast downstairs and the prince let out a sigh of relief. There was  _no_ way he'd be able to face the other without Michael there to fill in the silence. He lazily cleaned himself up and got dressed before padding downstairs to meet the other two.

“Rise and shine, Beauty.” Michael comment dryly, sliding a plate his way. Gavin mumbled a thank you and shrunk into his chair, eating despite his lack of appetite. His gaze never lifted from his plate and if Michael attempted at conversation he probably didn't hear it.

It was obvious that it was driving him up the wall and Gavin didn't notice Ryan doing it too until Michael slammed his fist on the table, earning shocked looks from his companions. He also got a few glances from the other patrons, but he brushed them off, eyebrows furrowed.

“What is _up_ with you two? What the hell did I miss?” Michael asked, frustrated as he raked his hands through his hair. Gavin's face burns at the memory and tried to hide underneath the tension. Ryan wasn't doing too well either; with his tense shoulders and stiff movements as he tried to wave it off as nothing.

Michael took one glance at both of them and his incredulous look turned into a smirk, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

“Did you two bone each other or what?” Gavin furiously shook his head, eyes wide as Ryan glared at the curly-haired man from across the table. Michael snickered at their reactions and let it go before the commotion around them quieted to nothing. They followed the other people's eyes to the door where a guard stood, House Tuggey's emblem seared onto her chest plate. Michael and Gavin immediately tensed, hands grazing over their weapons as she walked towards them.

Gavin shifted uncomfortably, breath hitching in his throat when he realized who it was.

“Barbara,” he breathed and Ryan raised an eyebrow. They had a brief meeting when Gavin was being considered to be Lindsay husband, but back then she was just a servant. He vaguely recalled her wanting to be a knight like her older brother and grinned.

“David,” her face remained passive, but her voice was lighthearted. Michael opened his mouth to question the name when Gavin kicked him from under the table, effectively shutting him up. “Mind taking a walk with me? Your friends can come along.”

Gavin knew that he wasn't really given a choice and agreed, standing up and motioning for the others to do the same. The room was quiet as they left, the door closing behind them the last sound before conversation started again in the building.

“So,” Gavin started, cocking an eyebrow. “Since when were we on a middle-name basis?”

“I was told to call you that; we couldn't let anyone – ah, anyone _else_ know who you were,” she briefly glanced at Michael and Ryan. “They're looking for you, you know. Dan and the rest of them.”

Gavin sighed, nodding. Michael watched the exchange, confused.

“What do you mean? Who the hell is Gavin? Why are people looking for him?” Questions spilled out of his mouth and Barbara almost looked at him pityingly.

“You haven't told him,” she said and Gavin shook his head.

“Told me what?”

“Gavin's a prince.” Disbelief was splattered across Michael's face and Barbara snickered as they passed by a cart. Ryan noticed that they were heading towards the stables and stiffened.

“You're lying,” he accused but Barbara shrugged in response.

“We don't have time for this,” she stated, brushing him off. “Gavin, Queen Tuggey wants to know what the hell you're doing here, because _apparently_ , Dan has also just crossed the border under a claim of 'retrieving' you.”

“Oh, uh,” Gavin rubbed the back of his neck. “Travelling.”

“Runaway,” the knight countered and Gavin shrunk sheepishly in place. She sighed, exasperated as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Sweat rolled down Gavin's back as he wondered what was going to happen. Hand him to Dan? Lock him up for trespassing? He sharply drew in a breath as Barbara opened her mouth to continue.

“Queen Tuggey has allowed you to stay, as long as you follow her rule.” Gavin nodded furiously, ready to drill the principle into his mind. “If one person, _one_ citizen under the queen's protection gets injured because of your actions, well, I'll let this speak for itself.” She encased something metal into his hand and he nodded, mouth dry. “I expect you to take your leave now. If you want to reach Arcadia in a reasonable amount of time you should get going.” And like a switch, her expression changed as Barbara laughed at his surprised reaction, holding out her hand. “I heard you and Lindsay that day when you were fantasizing about your guys' dreams in the library. Honestly didn't think you'd be brave enough to follow it though. Good luck.”

Gavin shook her hand before she turned on her heel, walking away from the three. His face paled when she was out of sight and put on the necklace she gave to him. It was a small sliver chain with a charm that resembled intertwined rope and if you held it upside down – was a noose. He tucked it underneath his shirt, almost ashamed of the accessory.

“What's that?” Michael asked, holding the door opened as they entered the stables. There was a tense pause before he answered.

“It's their symbol of trust.” He explained, putting the saddle on his horse. “It – it's an honour to have it, really, but if you break their trust-”

“They have your head.” Ryan finished and Gavin nodded weakly. The air thickened and they all struggled to break through it.

“So, prince huh?” Gavin grinned thankfully at Michael and nodded. “Of what?”

Gavin hesitated. “Coaven.”

“You are _not_ what I expected, then.” Michael failed to keep the shock out of his voice as they left the building, mounting on their horses. They went on with the conversation, Michael asking what it was like being royalty and Gavin answering his questions truthfully, avoiding the parts where he was trained to rule the kingdom the same way.

And all the while, the necklace felt like ice against Gavin's skin.


	7. Chapter 6

 The next town was over a day's ride away, Gavin noticed as he looked over his map. They had already spent a week in House Tuggey's lands, seen three different events, one circus, and literally, a partridge in a pear tree.

(When Gavin started to sing the song Michael whacked him with the hilt of his sword. In all fairness, though, Gavin thought that that was extraordinary and Michael should've been more excited.)

“Thanks,” Gavin muttered, taking the damp towel from Ryan's hand and held it to his head. Michael smirked at him unapologetically from across the table, radiating pride. The prince scrunched his nose at him as he took a bite of his food, kicking him under the table in a lame act of revenge. Ryan rolled his eyes at the two, huffing in exasperation and considered dumping his water on the two of them when he realized that water was already dripping from Gavin's chin and Michael's chair looked dangerously close to falling over because of how tipped back it was. Michael's face was red from how hard he was laughing and Gavin looked like he was headed towards the same direction.

“I – _what_?” Ryan looked between the two quizzically and with a shaking hand, Michael mimicked him tipping over Gavin's glass while he was drinking from it. Ryan shook his head, grinning as Gavin wiped his face with his sleeve.

“Asshole,” he muttered, unable to continue eating because of the occasional giggle.

“Come on, finish up; we're leaving soon,” Ryan said and Gavin mumbled something along the lines of 'it's Michael's fault'. Ryan patted his back, rightfully earning a glare from the younger man and laughed it off.

~

Gavin reached up with his hand and grabbed an apple off of a neighbouring tree. The branch shook along with it and he vaguely heard Michael curse from the falling leaves but ignored them, inspecting his snack before biting into it. He scrunched his nose at the tartness.

“What, not sweet enough for you?” Michael mocked and Gavin shrugged.

“I don't think I've ever had an actual _apple_ before,” Gavin blinked, “least not this kind. I mean, it was always in pies or tarts and...”

His thought trailed off as he took another bite, shrugging it off. The two stared at him incredulously as Gavin absentmindedly threw the core away, other hand flattening out his map. It wasn't until Michael huffed and looked away when Gavin looked up, innocently looking between the two. “What?”

Michael waved the question off, lost in his own thoughts while Ryan shrugged, occupying himself with his conjured map. The sun was close to setting, the sky a beautiful orange/pink gradient. Gavin distracted himself with it while they drew closer to the clearing they would camp at.

“What would happen if-” Gavin's hypothetical was cut off by Ryan, because after weeks of travelling with the guy, he quickly picked up the fact that most of his questions were bullshit.

“No,” Ryan said simply and Gavin pouted at the ground, drumming his fingers against his knee.

“But-” The prince stopped mid-sentence at Ryan's pointed look and huffed. “Rude.”

“Oh, get over it,” Michael drawled out, a ghost of a smile on his face. “Most of it's stupid anyway.”

“No,” Gavin argued, “they aren't! They're-”

Apparently, the prince couldn't catch a break as he was interrupted by a choking noise. Ryan stopped in his tracks, the others following suit. In front of them was another traveller, dressed with faint greens and wide-eyed at the three. His hands rubbed the reins panicky, almost unsure of what to do.

“Uh, are you okay?” Ryan asked, furrowing his eyebrows. Michael seconded the action, but Gavin was frozen, mouth agape. He recognized the man before, in the streets of Coaven when he accidentally bumped into him on the streets. The guards escorting him were ready to throw the kid to the ground and if it wasn't for his interference, they probably would've.

A pang ran through his chest at the memory and he brushed it aside, instead, smiling at man when he realized that he was  _outside_ of Coaven. It could take months,  _years_ to be granted permission to leave and his grin only grew wider as he inched his horse forward; hand outstretched. Michael and Ryan watched him, eyebrows raised.

“Gavin,” he introduced and Ryan offhandedly smirked at the kid's half awestruck/terrified expression. He was cut short when he realized that the traveller's eyes were darting between the _three_ of them and snickered into his hand while Michael scoffed, looking away. The poor kid thought they were _escorting_ Gavin; guarding him while he was exploring.

_Like he'd need guards_ , Ryan thought, eyeing the bow that was sling over the prince's shoulder. Made of cherry wood, the tips were steel, designed to cut and designs were carefully etched into the wood. The arrows matched the bow and he presumed the heads were made of some sort of metal from the glances he got while Gavin shot at the guards.

He'd be lying if he said if he wasn't at least a  _little_ impress with Gavin's skills. His aim was impeccable – especially on a moving horse – and that was saying a lot, considering his previous experiences with archers.

“I – I'm, uh,” the man opened and closed his mouth several times before pursing his lips, thinking over what he was going to say. He cautiously reached over and shook Gavin's hand. “Ben.”

“That's Ryan,” Gavin absentmindedly gestured to him with a small quirk of the lips. “And that's-”

“I'm Michael,” said man interrupted and Ben nodded his head at him. There was a pause before Michael took at look at the sky; branches blocking out whatever sunlight there was left.

“We should get going,” he prompted. “We still need to set camp.”

“I should leave as well,” Ben said, looking to the ground. He stalked past them with a wave goodbye over his shoulder when Ryan turned around unexpectedly, head tilted in confusion.

“The next town's miles from here,” he explained. Ben glanced over his shoulder, waiting for Ryan to continue. “It'd take the entire _night_ to get there.”

Ben shrugged. “It's not that bad.”

“You could camp with us,” Gavin's eyes lit up at the idea as he looked at Michael and Ryan for their approval. Ryan nodded with a smile and Michael shrugged, 'why not' conveying through his action. Ben's eyes widened, ready to argue – with his hands raised and everything – but Gavin eagerly gestured for him to follow them and sighed.

Who was he to deny a prince?

~

“How do you _n_ _ot_ know how to start a fire?”

Ryan stared incredulously at Gavin as he formatted the fire pit. Gavin shrugged, finishing up tying up one of the horses. “What was your motto? Like, 'Born from fire and blood?'”

“'Born from fire and _mist_ and blood'.” Gavin corrected. Ryan threw his hands in the air.

“Where does the _mist_ come from? What's with the two 'and''s?”

“I don't know!” Gavin looked equally as confused as Ryan was as they bickered over their work.

“Tell me, are they always like this?” Ben whispered to Michael. The latter huffed in response, exasperated with the others' antics. Ben glanced over his shoulder again at the pair, whose gestures were louder than their words – which was saying a lot.

He heard a snapping noise in front of his face and he turned to see Michael looking at him expectantly, eyebrows raised.

“Hey, Ben. You going to help me with the supplies or not?” Ben blinked before nodding and following him to the horses.

~

“You're insufferable,” Ryan said as he watched Gavin unsuccessfully trying to light the fire. Michael and Ben watched, amused as the other two bickered while they gnawed on dried meat rations.

“Just – give them to me,” Ryan demanded and Gavin threw the flint and steel at Ryan, huffing in annoyance.

“You do it then!” Gavin exclaimed, crossing his arms. Ryan mimicked what Gavin did, striking the flint with no more success than Gavin. “You can't even do it yourself!”

“Shut up,” Ryan's cheeks flushed a light pink, looking down again at his hands.

“Oh my god you guys are hopeless,” Michael rolled his eyes, leaning forwards to grab the flint and steel from Ryan's hands. He huffed, lighting the tinder almost instantly. Ben snickered behind his hand as he watched Gavin and Ryan look away in embarrassment. Michael worked fast, effectively building the fire until it cackled; Ben smiled at the warmth.

“Glad we have you here, they can't make a fire for crap,” Ben smirked, earning an undignified protest form Gavin.

“To be fair,” Gavin started, pointing a finger at the Coaven native. “You didn't even _try_.”

Ben waved him off, ignoring his annoyed huff and Ryan's mocking reassurance afterwards. “You guys are the worst.”

“I know right?” Michael hi-fived Ben, grinning at the others' irritated expressions. Gavin shook his head, picking up a nearby stick to poke at the fire.

“Oh,” Gavin perked, head snapping up. “Ben, have you been to Arcadia?”

“Yeah; of course. Why?” He asked and Gavin grinned.

“We're heading there right now; what's it like?” Ben pondered over his response and smiled at his memories before he answered.

“Laid back, definitely. There's barely any issues there, I think, because the guards really just hang out in the cities.”

And they traded stories like that. They told the story of how they met while Michael was hiding from the guards and Ben told the story of when he narrowly dodged getting kicked out of a marketplace by posing as a trader.

Time passed and Gavin ended up leaning against Ryan, idly poking at the dwindling fire with a stick as he fought off sleep. Across from them, Michael and Ben argued about which two cities (Gavin couldn't catch the names) were better and he assumed the argument was amusing since Ryan laughed at strange intervals.

His eyelids grew heavier and inevitably he fell asleep against the mage, head fitting into the crook of his neck and Ryan went still so he wouldn't disturb him. He carefully took the stick out of Gavin's grasp and set it on the ground and promptly ignored Michael's snickering until after he made sure Gavin wouldn't end up falling backwards while he was asleep.

“What?” Ryan asked, voice low and Michael gestured to the pair in response.

“Do you want us to leave or-” He was cut off by Ryan's glare and cackled, which only earned him another glare when Gavin stirred.

“It's _not_ like that,” Ryan insisted and Ben looked at him quizzically.

“You mean you guys aren't-” His sentence trailed off and he quickly looked down in embarrassment. Michael started laughing again; quieter for Gavin's sake.

“No!” Ryan's yell-whisper only made Michael laugh harder, face almost as red as Ryan's. Ben was equally as entertained, covering his face with a hand.

“You guys are the _worst._ ”


	8. Chapter 7

They said goodbye to Ben in the morning, Gavin blissfully unaware of last night's conversation.

After weeks of travelling, they made it to Arcadia and even though there wasn't any real difference between it and House Tuggey's land right off the bat, Gavin was already excited.

His mind raced over the history books he stole from his library, the surprisingly unbiased information that intrigued him.

 _''We are united'_ , their motto rang in Gavin's ears. House Ramsey's motto was the only one he bothered to remember other than his own – which was practically engraved into his mind. Their first stop was Dauntis, one of the largest cities on the outskirts.

Immediately, Gavin could see what Ben was talking about. The guards merrily interacted with the people, few of them sitting around playing a game that Gavin was unfamiliar with. Weapons hung at their sides and he was pretty sure he saw a couple of them with crossbows but he remained unfazed for the most part, a grin plastered on his face.

“So where to first?”

~

The pub was alive with excitement and Gavin watched the bartenders lightheartedly argue with each other, the tipsy patrons egging them on. They dug into their food, enjoying listening in on the bartenders' bickering.

“By the way,” Gavin said, wiping off some of the food that stuck to his face. “Who are you visiting, Ryan?”

“Oh, yeah,” Ryan paused. “His name's Jack; he's a blacksmith. I need to give him something.” He patted his bag as they paid their bill, leaving the pub.

They explored the streets, Gavin's coins getting replaced with various souvenirs. He hummed contently as they made their way through the town and soon enough they were back on their horses, making their way through the kingdom.

~

In this city Gavin bought a bracelet from a girl who was selling them on the streets for a silver and it took a solid five minutes for her to tie it on because she wouldn't stop giggling at his accent. He wore it proudly, the leather weaving surprisingly comfortable.

Ryan sighed as Gavin dragged him to a vendor while Michael looked for a pair of new gloves and bought a bag of candied fruit. Ryan shook his head, stealing a piece anyway and scrunched his nose at the sweetness.

“Gavin, that tastes like a heart attack,” Ryan said and Gavin stuck his tongue out at him, stray grains of sugar on his lips. Ryan considered teasing him about it, then considered getting it off with his fingers, then his lips, then _looked the fuck away because what was that._

His face flushed and he was thankful that Gavin didn't pay much attention since his breath caught in his throat and he realized that he was so, utterly _screwed._

It especially didn't help when they had to share a room again (Michael had once again returned with two keys and Gavin jumped at the occasion to room with Ryan) and he felt the odd look from Gavin when he went to bed, clothes and all, only stopping to put down his knife and staff.

“Ryan's what's-”

“Good night, Gavin.”

~

Ryan radiated tension the next morning, gnawing on his lip and looking down the entire time. Gavin picked up on it immediately, prodding him about it a couple of times to be responded with grunts and small noises of acknowledgement. Michael had an idea why and snorted in between bites and Ryan mentally planned his death.

He tried not to notice when Gavin took food off of his plate and only noticed that they were leaving when Gavin hit the back of his head.

“Rude,” he muttered and Gavin laughed at his expense. They mounted their horses, making their way to the next town that was surprisingly close – they'd be there by noon. Ryan lagged behind them, thinking up all the different excuses he could make up for his behaviour when a rock nailed him in the forehead, making him look up at the two.

“Why'd you throw a rock at me?” Ryan asked Michael and the latter raised his hands.

“I didn't throw it, he did,” Michael gestured to Gavin who grinned.

“Yeah, course it was me. Michael doesn't have that good of an aim,” _of course he doesn't_ , Ryan thought. He shook his head, raising an eyebrow at the two.

“What's up?”

“Why are you all the way back there,” Gavin whined, moving to the side so that there was _more_ room for him beside Gavin.

“Yeah, Ryan,” Michael smirked and Ryan sighed, moving up and only spared a smile because Gavin's was contagious. He glared down Michael's grin and hoped his tinted cheeks weren't that obvious to them.

“What's the next town?” Gavin asked and Ryan sighed, casting out his map and did his best to ignore how close Gavin's face was to his. _Stop overreacting_ , he chided himself before sitting up straighter.

Ryan didn't get a chance to answer before Gavin almost fell of his horse from leaning too much and the mage fumbled to catch him. Michael laughed at them and Ryan quickly helped Gavin back up before looking away.

~

Ryan washed up, changing into his clothing before he went to get Gavin. They woke up earlier, the next city much farther than hoped. Ryan walked down the hallway, staff in hand as he stopped in front of Gavin's door, knocking on it.

“Gavin, let's go,” he called out.

“I – just – gimme a moment.” Gavin's voice was muffled by the door and Ryan waited outside, tapping his foot impatiently. When he received no response for another five minutes he tapped the door again. “Gavin, hurry up-”

“ _Bugger me._ Ryan – just, the door's unlocked come in.” He hesitantly opened the door to see Gavin tangled in his cloak, mess of cloth and arms.

“Gavin, _how did you manage to do that_?” Ryan walked forward, staring disbelievingly at Gavin. Gavin made an awkward squawking noise in return and Ryan sighed, carefully helping Gavin untangle himself from his heavy cloak. The mage muttered as his fingers worked and he swore that Gavin wasn't being helpful _just_ so that it'd take longer. The thought made him pause for a moment, biting his lip in an attempt to stop blushing.

He stepped back as soon as he was done and there was a period of silence as Gavin smoothed out his clothes, his dress shirt wrinkled. His vest surprisingly was left untouched, the tails still as good as ever. Gavin flushed with embarrassment and adjusted his cloak one last time before grabbing his bag from the bed. He pushed past Ryan, swiftly exiting the room and Ryan grinned, closing the door behind him.

Michael was waiting impatiently in the lobby, eyebrows raised when he saw Gavin's clothes and smooth vest.

“What, did you get impatient or something?” Michael smirked, kicking himself off the wall he was leaning against. Gavin didn't get it, looking between the two confused.

“What?” Ryan brushed off the question, totally not stepping on Michael's toes as he passed him. The thief snickered at him, ignoring his probably bruised toe and they left the inn, going to retrieve their horses.

They left the town and Gavin smiled the entire time, constantly checking his map.

“Excited about the capital?” Ryan asked and Gavin bounced in place, leading his horse. They'd reach the capital of Arcadia by tomorrow, the largest city in House Ramsey's land. Like most capitals it was separated into districts, the marketplace, residential and near the middle was the castle, on top of Halo's Peak it towered over everything else.

The trip was filled with Gavin's questions about the capital since he was the only one who's never been there and no matter the answer he got he remained unfazed and they wondered how his cheeks didn't hurt from smiling so much.

The sun was nearly gone when they neared the capital and Gavin didn't seem to run out of questions at all.

“What's the castle like, then?” Gavin asked. Ryan raised his eyebrows; he thought that Gavin would've asked this earlier. “I've only ever seen a couple.”

“Only two?”

“Well,” Gavin paused, “mine and House Tuggey's I've been in, and I remember passing House Heyman and House Hullum's on a trip, so four?”

“I mean, talking to a pair of travellers that's not a lot,” Michael pointed out. “No offence but as a prince I thought you'd have seen more than that.”

“Ramsey's castle is definitely big,” Ryan laughed. “It's made of stone bricks and-”

He was cut off by Gavin's squeal and he turned to see it come into view, the sunset making a halo around the building. The travellers seen the sight at least once before, but Gavin was _enamoured._

“So _that's_ why they call it Halo's Peak!” Gavin exclaimed, looking between Michael and Ryan excitedly.

Michael clapped him on the back, smiling.

“Welcome to the capital.”


	9. Chapter 8

In the morning they hit the marketplace first, people politely moving out of the way for their horses. They led the horses through the streets and Ryan was glad that they had them because he was sure that they'd lose Gavin if it wasn't for his horses acting like a marker.

“Gavin, slow-” Ryan froze when someone bumped into Gavin, accidentally knocking off his hood. Ryan reached for his staff immediately, ready to defend him if he needed to. Michael's hand gripped the hilt of his sword, knuckles white.

“Oh, sorry,” the woman apologized before continuing her activities, walking past Gavin. They shared a look before Ryan frantically gestured for Gavin to put his hood back on. Gavin looked around, wondering if anyone else noticed but if they did, they didn't give an indication.

“So, uh, lunch?”

~

Their horses are safely back in the stables when they're finishing up their food,

“How did she not recognize me?” Gavin wondered, taking a sip of his water.

“Maybe because she's never seen you?” Michael suggested. “I mean, Coaven's _weeks_ away from here, so I'm not that surprised.”

“Does that mean I can take my hood off now?” Gavin looked hopeful and Ryan shook his head.

“I don't know, I mean...” His thought trailed off at Gavin's pleading look, and something told Ryan that he hated wearing it all the time, not liking the fact that he could really talk to anyone else. “We can try.”

Gavin grinned and placed his hand on his hood. Ryan was going to ask what he was doing until Gavin looked at him expectantly.

“Oh, uh, go ahead,” Ryan said, confused on why Gavin was asking _him_ for permission. The prince took off his hood and ran his hands through his hair, only making it messier.

“You should fix your hair, dude,” Michael suggested and Gavin realized that this was the first time Michael saw him without his hood on – aside from the time in the street of course. Gavin tried to flatten his hair, patting it down with no success.

“It looks fine, Gavin,” Ryan said offhandedly, not noticing the stunned look Gavin gave him. He stood up, grabbing his staff from where it leaned against the wall. “Now come on, let’s go exploring.”

Gavin stayed close to Ryan, keeping his head down for the most part. Ryan felt bad, knowing that people would rather detain and run away from him based on rumors than giving him a chance. And he suddenly liked Arcadia even more, thankful for the distance between it and Coaven as they explored the marketplace.

“Oh yeah, I got to go visit my friend,” Ryan remembered while Michael was examining his sword, muttering on how it was going dull. “He could probably help you with that.”

Michael shrugged and sheathed his sword again. “Sure let’s go.”

The blacksmith was near the edge of the district and instead of regular civilians, people frequently carried weapons or tools for repairs or they were newly bought. Ryan brought them to a stone building, the inside lit by the fires that melted metal and sparks from the blade sharpeners.

“Hey, Jack!” Ryan called out and a bearded man handling an axe quickly put it aside before waving back. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows and he took off his gloves before going to the counter.

“Sup, Ryan,” he greeted. “Do you have the blueprints I wanted?”

“Here,” Ryan dug into his bag, pulling out a rolled up piece of paper. He handed it to Jack, who looked over it, making a satisfied hum in the back of his throat.

“Thanks Ryan, anything I can do the return the favour?” Jack asked. “Coaven’s one hell of a place after all.”

“Probably just sharpen Michael’s sword, to be honest,” Ryan laughed, gesturing to Michael and the thief handed his sword to Jack’s outstretched hands. The blacksmith let out a low whistle when he unsheathed it, carrying it over to the sharpener.

“Nice blade,” he commented, putting on his gloves before sharpening the blade. “By the way, who’s the guy with the fancy bow?”

“Oh, I’m Gavin,” he introduced, waving at Jack even though his back was to Gavin. He didn‘t get a response before Jack finished with Michael’s sword, giving it back to its owner.

“How good is your aim?” Jack asked, taking interest in his unusually designed bow.

“Uh,” Gavin looked to his side at Ryan, as if he could aid him in this situation. “Okay, I guess?”

Gavin heard Ryan stifle a laugh beside him, turning his head. Gavin raised his eyebrows at Ryan, not noticing when Jack took off a glove.

“Hey, Gavin,” that got his attention and he gave Jack a confused look until he realized what was going on. He swiftly armed himself with his bow when Jack threw the glove to the side; towards one of the other workers. “Hit that.”

The other worker turned around just in time to see the arrow whiz past his face, pinning the glove onto the side of a wooden shelf.

“Hey, Caleb can you pass those to me?” The man, Caleb, did so, pulling the arrow out of the shelf and took the glove off, giving them to Jack with an impressed nod to Gavin. Jack handed the arrow back to Gavin, who put it back into his quiver.

“Oh, your glove-“

Jack waved him off. “I can ask Caiti to stitch it back up again, it’s fine.”

Jack and Ryan made some more idle chat before they left and went to the plaza, having done enough shopping for the day. Some other people had the same idea, sitting around in the open space until the sun set.

People talked to each other in whispers and Ryan looked around him, wondering why. Someone walked past them and he stopped him, eyebrows furrowed.

“What’s going on?” He asked and Michael and Gavin leaned to listen in.

“You didn’t – well, rumors spreading that the freelance knight, Ray, sent to ‘handle’ the soul in the Nether is missing,” the man explained. Gavin tensed at the name, breath catching in his throat.

“What soul? When did Ray leave?” Gavin asked, unaware of what was going on. The man gaped at him, staring at him incredulously.

“You don’t know about – okay, well,” the man started. “There’s a soul rising in the Nether, which wouldn’t be so bad but people are saying that this one is planning to return to the living. And Ray left a week ago, why?”

“How do you know that?” Gavin questioned tilting his head.

“Word travels fast here,” he admitted. “But this guy, I mean, souls can’t come back without a body so if the knight’s missing then-“

“Then we’re screwed?” Michael finished and the man nodded uneasily. Gavin shifted uncomfortably at the news, rubbing the back of his neck. Ryan awkwardly thanked the man before he left and there was a moment of silence as they thought over the information.

“I think we should go to the inn, now.”

~~

Gavin stared at the ceiling, blanket kicked to his feet.

 _Ray must’ve left for Arcadia as well_ , Gavin thought. _And now he might be dead._

His stomach churned at the thought and he got out of bed, slipping on his pants and shirt before leaving his room. The night air was brisk but was nothing compared to the winter nights at Coaven.

He leaned against the building and sighed, looking at the empty streets for something to focus on.

“Can’t sleep either?” Gavin turned to see Michael, surprised.

“Not really,” Gavin confessed as Michael leant next to him.

“What was up with you at the plaza?” Michael asked. “Do you know Ray?”

“It’s nothing,” Gavin lied, pressing his lips into a line. “I just don't want to get caught up in this.”

“Yeah,” Michael patted him on the back. “C'mon, we should get some sleep. There's still a lot to do tomorrow.”

They went back to their respective rooms and Gavin sighed as he sat down, bothering to only take off his shoes before flopping onto the bed, lazily pulling up the blanket. He slept on his stomach, head resting on his arms.

He woke up to knocking and he lazily got up, dragging his feet on the floor. He opened the door, expecting Ryan or Michael but instantly straightened out.

Because instead of his friends, there was a guard.


	10. Chapter 9

Gavin walked down the stairs, the guard hot on his heels and it took everything in his power not to knock him out. His cloak wasn’t even clasped; the guards had rushed him out when his vest was barely on so he carried the heavy cloak as they went outside. The sun wasn’t up yet, so few people were out on the streets, the shops still closed. It was cold out and Gavin easily told that it would snow soon but made no effort to put on his cloak or roll down his sleeves.

Ryan and Michael were already outside and Gavin was surprised to see that they still had their weapons. They looked confused for the most part, but Ryan’s expression quickly turned to one of concern when he saw Gavin. He stepped forward, his guards tensing up.

“You okay, Gavin?” Gavin absentmindedly nodded, ignoring the lump in his throat.

“I’m fine,” he croaked out, looking away. Ryan didn’t believe this for a second as he looked at Gavin’s paled face and took the cloak from his arms, gingerly wrapping it around Gavin. His thumb brushed over the scratched out symbol on the button as he did it, placing his hands over Gavin’s shoulders when he was done.

“At least don’t get sick,” he muttered, giving Gavin a small smile. The latter, albeit briefly, returned it and wrapped the cloak tighter around himself as they returned to the group. A guard gestured towards the carriage, but the three stayed put; Gavin mostly because the others did.

If it was one thing Gavin did, it was to avoid casing trouble; especially with other kingdoms.  _After all, if you’re in their land_ _you should abide by their rules_ , his father’s voice echoed in his head. It took Gavin a moment to realize that his father never said that, but he pretended anyways so that he could say that he took something of his dad’s – other than his hair colour.

“Are you going to tell us where we’re going or…?” Ryan had bravely asked and the guard shrugged.

“We were told that the king wanted to speak with you,” she explained. Michael opened his mouth but she held up her hand, silencing him. “That’s _all_ we were told.”

They was a moment of hesitation before Ryan got in, the lads piling in after him. Gavin sat next to Ryan, slouching so he could comfortably lay against Ryan. Michael laid his head on the side of the carriage and Ryan simply shrugged, moving until Gavin relaxed.

Ryan was dozing off when they reached castle grounds and a guard opened the door, raising his eyebrows when he saw the three.

“Wake them up,” he told Ryan before stepping away. Ryan nudged Gavin with his shoulder before poking Michael with his foot. Gavin rubbed his eyes, stretching forward. Michael yawned, looking at Ryan expectantly.

“Let’s go,” Ryan said, climbing out. The lads followed suit and Gavin’s breath hitched in his throat when he saw the castle.

It was white, the tiled roofs a saturated blue. It was  _huge_ , larger than his own and prisoner or not – Gavin wanted to see inside.

“C’mon,” Ryan elbowed him, bringing him out of his daze. The guards brought them in and Gavin looked around, ignoring the way his green clothing drastically contrasted against the red décor.

They were led down a hallway and took several turns before they reached large doors, guards on either side. The guards nodded at each other before they opened the doors and the three went inside.

It was the throne room, King and Queen Ramsey at their thrones. Gavin’s previous demeanour disappeared as he held his chin up, approaching royalty like he was taught.

“Your Majesty,” Gavin bowed to them when they stopped. He loosely heard Queen Ramsey whisper something to King Ramsey about his manners and nodded at him with a smile. Ryan and Michael looked at him, amused.

“Sup, Geoff?” Michael asked casually and Gavin mentally panicked, tensing underneath his cloak. The king let out a bark of laughter, sparing a smile at him.

“Hey, Michael,” King Ramsey greeted with a wave. Gavin silently looked between the two, confused.

“I-“ Gavin bit his lip. “You requested to see us?”

The king’s face fell and he looked grimly at his feet.

“As you know, Knight Ray is missing,” he started.

“How do you know?” Gavin asked, too stubborn to believe it. “He might be lost, that smeggin' asshole.”

He murmured the last part but they heard it nonetheless, the queen raising her eyebrows. “Did you know him?”

Gavin didn't respond and they respectfully dropped the subject, instead answering his question.

“We told him to report back within a week,” the queen explained. “And we haven't gotten a word back.”

“Griffon, with all due respect, why the hell are you telling us this?” Michael asked and Gavin elbowed him in the ribs with a hiss of his name. The queen laughed, waving it off.

“It's quite alright, Gavin,” she reassured. “Although thank you for your courtesy.”

He tensed at his name, fists clenching underneath his cloak when the doors opened and a girl, no more than ten came through. She was laughing profusely and judging by the tiara on her head she was the princess.

  
“Ellie?” The king stood up. “What are you doing-”

The princess - Ellie - ran towards them, unexpectedly ducking into Gavin's cloak.

“Hide me from the guards,” she whispered and Gavin grinned, pulling his cloak over her and turning his back away from the door. He felt her hands wrinkling the back of his vest, muffling her giggles into his back. Not a moment later guards burst into the room, faces red when they saw what was going on.

“Apologies, my king, but Princess Elliot has ran off and one of the servants said she came this way.”

“She isn't here,” Gavin stated, biting his cheeks to keep him from smiling. The prince was pretty sure that Elliot was shaking under his cloak because of her snickering and the guard eyed his back warily. The king dismissed him with a chuckle and Elliot waited to hear the door close before she piped up.

“Are they gone?” She peaked her head out and Gavin nodded, giving her a high-five. She came out and Gavin straightened out her crooked tiara out of instinct.

“What are you doing, Ellie?” King Geoff asked, sitting back down. “Aren't you supposed to be with your tutor?”

“But I don't like Lady Mandel,” she pouted. “She's rude and doesn't let me-”

“ _Elliot_ ,” the queen said sternly, making the girl hang her head. “Don't-”

“Cut the girl some slack,” Gavin snapped and the room was taken aback, He took a deep breath, eyes unfocused when he looked up again. “My apologies, Your Majesty, but don't push her so hard, she's barely ten!” 

“Eight,” he heard her correct. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ryan and Michael's wide eyed glares at him. However, instead of the berating he was expecting, King Geoff sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Tell me, Gavin, how long did you spend with your studies?” He asked and Gavin quickly became uncomfortable, shifting in place.

“9 hours, five days a week - weekends are saved for archery and knife practice,” Gavin said without skipping a beat. “Why?”

“You seemed to turn out fine,” he pointed out.

“It was also partially the reason why I left,” Gavin countered. There was a brief moment of silence before Ellie spoke.

“Wait, you're a prince?” She grinned again, eyes sparkling.

“Yeah, I am,” he grimly confirmed and she bounced in place. Suddenly, questions were fired at him, like where was he from and what he did.

“Are you going to be the king?” She questioned and Gavin snorted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked to the king and queen for help. Whatever thick air that had been built up dissipated and Gavin realized at how amused everyone else was with the situation.

“Alright, El, that's enough.” King Geoff laughed. He called in one of the guards, still smiling to himself. “Ellie, we can talk about your tutor situation later, alright? But for now Lady Mandel is your tutor.”

“Okay,” she said before the guard escorted her out. The king sighed, looking down at his feet before speaking again.

“I'll get to the point,” he said and the lighthearted atmosphere disappeared. “We're sending you to the Nether to take care of the soul and retrieve Ray if you can.”

“ _What_ ,” Michael's response was immediate and Ryan's wasn't any different. Gavin's eyes widened and he took a step back. “Geoff, you _can't_.”

“I'm sorry but you guys are the best people for the job,” the king said.

“Bullshit,” Michael accused. “You have _trained_ , _ready_ , _qualified_ knights at the ready; there's no way you'd choose us.”

Geoff sighed, rubbing his temple. “I'll get to the point then.” He sat straighter, face serious as he spoke.

“I'm sending _Gavin_ to the Nether,” he admitted. He then turned to Michael and Ryan. “The reason why you guys are going is because after travelling with him, I doubt that you're going to let him go alone.”

“You send me into the Nether, my kingdom won't stand for that,” Gavin said, anger flaring in his chest. The other two glared at the king, all manners dropped.

“I know. But you do this, then I'll excuse you and your guards - because face it they're coming for you - from the fact that you're trespassing.” The queen looked uncomfortable at his words and for moment, Gavin sympathized with her, realizing this wasn't their first choice of a solution. But then his frustration came back when he comprehended the fact that they were _threatening_ him.

“ _Prick_ ,” Gavin muttered.

“Listen, guys,” Geoff grit his teeth. “I'm doing what's best for my peope; I have already lost several of my best and I'm not going to lose anymore.”

“So you're sending _us_ in?” Ryan narrowed his eyes.

“Guys,” the queen intervened, tone calmer than her husband's. “We _need_ this soul to be taken care of. If it manages to get out, it'll wreak havoc not only here, but in the other kingdoms as well.”

“Gavin, this is good for both of our kingdoms,” the king stated and Gavin twitched in annoyance. “Finish this task and we can work on our kingdoms' relations.”

“If I decline?”

“Then you'll promptly be punished for trespassing; and you won't be the only one.” Gavin clenched his jaw. Michael and Ryan shared a worried glance, but it wasn't them.

No, it would be Coaven and its citizens who were already in bad conditions as it is. A war would only make it worse and it pained Gavin to think about how many causalities there would be because of it.  _Especially_ the people who would be forced into the army due to lack of soldiers since Arcadia  _was_ much large than Coaven was.

“Well?” Geoff was impatient, eyebrows raised at Gavin.

“Fine, I'll do it. _But_ , first I have some requirements that would like to speak with you quietly about.”

The king smirked. “Of course.”


	11. Chapter 10

Gavin remained silent as they were escorted to their rooms, despite the number of reactions that Michael and Ryan had.

_You can't be serious._

_It's the fucking_ Nether!

_Really, think about this, Gavin._

“Would it kill you to answer us?” Ryan finally snapped as they stopped in front of Gavin's room. The lad stormed in and would've slammed the door if it wasn't for Michael's quick reflexes.

“Gavin!” Michael pushed the door open and the prince turned around, irritated with the both of them.

“What?” Gavin growled through his teeth and his pent up anger started leaking out. He resembled a bull ready to charge, which was saying a lot considering his thin frame.

“Why’d you accept, Gavin?” Michael hissed, hands moving as he spoke. “It’s the _Nether_ , you’ve basically just accepted a suicide mission!”

“I’m protecting my kingdom, you prick,” Gavin retaliated. “If I don’t, people will die and it’d be on my hands because I didn’t do some stupid quest that _King Geoff_ of all people gave me.”

“We’re going to be killed, Gavin.”

“You’re not; I am.” Gavin turned his back to them, laying his bow and cloak onto his bed so that he couldn’t see their reactions. “It was a part of my requirements.” He hung his head. _No point in taking you guys down with me_ , he thought.

You’re a fucking idiot, did you know that?” Gavin was taken aback at Ryan’s words, head snapping around to see Ryan stomping towards him. He stumbled back and would’ve fallen onto the bed if Ryan hadn’t grabbed his collar, yanking him forward so that they were face to face.

“Excuse me?” His words held little authority to Ryan and his mouth opened and closed wordlessly. His anger dissipated at the sight, the smallest ounce of fear replacing it.

“Did you actually think that _I_ would let you go alone because you _asked_ me to?” Ryan glowered and Gavin shrunk back as much as he could, the back of his knees touching the sheets. Michael made a face at the wording, shaking off the initial shock of Ryan's movements. Gavin opened and closed his mouth wordlessly as Ryan continued. “Gavin, I-”

Ryan made a frustrated noise, letting go of Gavin to run his hands through his hair. He turned around, pacing in the other direction while the prince recuperated. After he did, Gavin took a step forward, fists clenched.

“Gavin,” Michael was quick to step in. “We're not going to let you go into the Nether alone, alright? We're coming whether you like it or not.”

Gavin stared at his feet, face grim. “You guys don't have to. I'll be fine.”

“Nope!” Michael declared, slinging an arm over Gavin's shoulders. “You'll be killed within the first ten minutes and we’re not letting that happen. Right, Ryan?”

“Absolutely not,” Ryan agreed, a hint of a smile on his face. There was a knock at the door and one guard of the guards who attended them stood sheepishly on the other side.

“Uh, I was supposed to tell you this like five minutes ago but-“ He made vague gestures with his hands and Ryan guessed that he meant the argument. “His Majesty the King Geoffrey requests your presence at lunch with him in the dining hall and we _really_ should leave right now so we aren’t late.”

Ryan heard Gavin laugh behind him and they put down all of their things before following him and another guard to lunch.

“What are your guys names?” Gavin asked in the comfortable silence and the guards shared a look. The one with the stubble looked behind him, checking if Gavin actually meant them.

“Oh, uh, I’m Miles Luna, Your Royal Highness,” he introduced

“There’s no need to call me that,” Gavin said with a small smile, unusually quiet. “I’m not your prince nor will I be one after all of this is over.”

Ryan glanced at him, but his worried expression went unnoticed by everyone but the other guard who furrowed his brow and hastily looked away. Miles hung his head and regretted using the name immediately.

“I’m Kyle Taylor, uh, Gavin.” It wasn’t hard to tell that he wasn’t use to calling royalty by their first name by the way he shifted and lifted his chin; as if to compensate for it. Gavin snickered to himself, always enjoying the flustered reactions he could get out of people.

The guards opened the doors they stopped in front of and Miles waved at them before they walked inside, taking in the interior instantly.

Tables were lined vertically towards them, bare without the tablecloths used for events. Although at the main table at the end of the hall the king and queen waited patiently and the three spotted the three chairs saved for them. They were too captivated by the red curtains lining the walls and the golden décor to move forwards, but Geoff quickly pulled them out of their dazes.

“Are you going to come join us for lunch or what?” His voice echoed through the room and they quickly joined them, taking their respective seats. “What took you guys so long?”

Gavin shrugged, mouth watering as servants came out with their food. If it was one thing he missed at Coaven, it was the castle food with its spices and Gavin had to restrain himself from digging in immediately, remembering that he didn't have his prince perks here. They waited until the king and queen had their first picks before taking their shares and Gavin snickered at Michael who was practically inhaling his food.

“Don't choke,” Gavin snorted making a face at Michael. The latter shrugged, swallowing his food before replying.

“Hey, not everyone grew up with this food okay?” Michael pointed out before taking another bite of his roasted chicken.

“Ryan's eating fine,” Gavin said, gesturing to him and the mage regret sitting in between the two.

“Yeah, but Ryan has this posh foreigner thing going on.” The prince shook his head, putting down his utensils.

“What are you on about? Nyx isn't even that far away,” Gavin countered and Ryan looked to Geoff and Griffon for help. They merely laughed, wondering where the argument would go.

“Ryan's from Nyx?” Michael furrowed his brow. “How do you know?”

“Cause he told me,” Gavin explained smugly and Ryan sighed when Michael asked when, quietly finishing his food.

“Your Majesty,” Ryan said, desperate to stop Michael and Gavin's conversation. “Any plans for when we go into the Nether?”

That shut them up. The king wiped his mouth, looking at Ryan quizzically.

“But Gavin said-”

“Yeah, no, we're going,” Ryan stated in short. “So, plans?”

The other two turned to listen and Gavin pushed away his plate, appetite lost. Ryan absentmindedly placed a hand on his should and felt Gavin relax underneath him. Geoff didn't mention it, shrugging. “Today we’ll get you ready; so new cloaks because it’s hot as fuck in the Nether and you’re not wearing winter cloaks there.

“Definitely sharpening your weapons, maybe get you a new bow-“

“ _What_?” Gavin squawked and banged his knees against the table when he jumped. He winced, groaning as he rubbed his knees. “We’re not - you’re not taking away my bow away. _Neim el tse’c._ ”

Geoff raised his eyebrows but shrugged. “Alright then, no new bow. Although we’ll get you some more arrows; you’ll need as many as you can carry.” Gavin nodded, resting his chin on his hand. “The only lead we have on the soul is that near the entrance to the portal there’s a fortress; your best bet is to find him there.”

“That’s it?” Michael raised his eyebrows. “No weaknesses or-“ Geoff solemnly shook his head. “-okay apparently not. So we’re just going in blind?”

“Wish I could give you more, but we could barely get the information we _have_ ; the knight who told us this succumbed to his injuries soon afterwards,” Geoff rubbed his face, exhausted. Gavin opened his mouth curiously. “And don’t ask, it wasn’t – it wasn’t good.”

Geoff waved over his servants and they took away the plates wordlessly. “You’ll leave tomorrow and until then, we’ll get you fit for new cloaks and you’re free to explore the castle; supervised of course. I advise you to practice your fighting, though.

“Until then, you’re dismissed. Luna! Taylor!” The respective guards scrambled through the doors. “Accompany our guests to the training grounds first and the armory at some point; show them where they want to go and make sure they don’t break anything.”

They grinned. “Of course, Your Majesty.”


	12. Chapter 11

They retrieved their weapons before heading to the training grounds and Michael whistled at the sight when they got there.

“Damn,” they looked around; there were targets set at one area and dummies in another. People were sparring in open spaces and Gavin excitedly bounded towards the targets, bow in hand.

“Gavin, no wait-“ Miles sighed as he left, lowering his outstretched hand. “Okay then. There are instructors at the different areas but I doubt you’ll need them. Uh, King Geoff said for you guys to train so… Go ahead?”

Ryan and Michael left for the open area, Ryan wielding his knife instead of his staff.

“What, no magic today?” Michael teased and Ryan looked at him, confused.

“I can still use magic,” he explained and set his blade on fire just to further his point. “The staff is just something to hone my skills.”

Michael made a small ‘oh’ sound as they arrived and he drew his sword. “Let’s spar.”

“What, sword vs knife? Doesn’t sound very fair,” Ryan said.

“Oh shut up,” Michael shook his head. “I’ll even allow you to use magic.” He swung at Ryan and he quickly blocked it, smirking.

“C’mon, Michael, you can hit harder than that,” he taunted, pulling back just to lunge forward again. Sparks struck off of their blades when they collided again and they only laughed.

On the other side of the courtyard, Gavin loaded another arrow and let go of the string. The arrow landed close to the bulls eye and he fist pumped the air happily before picking up another arrow. He’s just let it go when he vaguely heard someone beside him.

“-bet you can’t beat the green guy over there-“

“Bloody hell he can’t,” Gavin smirked to himself, glancing over his shoulder at the two guards before letting go, the arrow hitting just along the edge of the middle. “ _Dammit_.”

One of the guards burst out laughing and Gavin turned around to flash him a grin. They walked up to him, smiling. “I’m Jordan – that’s Kdin.”

“Gavin,” he shook Jordan’s hand.

“Are you new? I haven’t seen you around here before,” Kdin asked and Gavin shrugged.

“Kinda? I mean, I’m only here until tomorrow I think, then I’m off,” Gavin explained and they looked at him curiously.

“What kind of – what?” Jordan squinted at him. Gavin’s mind raced over excuses because there was no way he was telling them that they were going to the Nether.

“Gavin!” Ryan’s voice made his shoulders sag with relief. “You coming or what?”

“Yeah!” He spun on his heel, walking away. He waved over his shoulder. “See you guys!”

~~

“Who were they?”

“Just some guards,” Gavin shrugged. Kyle and Miles flanked them on either side as they made their way down the hallway. “Where are we going anyway?”

“The gardens,” Miles replied. The prince perked up, eyes widening with anticipation. Ryan muttered an ‘oh no’ under his breath as Gavin grabbed Miles arm running forwards. The guard had no choice but to let himself be dragged, laughing down the corridors.

“Which way?” Gavin asked, voice growing faint as they became more distanced from the rest of the group.

“Left!” Miles’ voice echoed and the other three laughed, taking their time. They passed by several confused servants on their way and Kyle apologized, failing to keep a straight face.

The castle garden was huge, stray leaves falling from the trees. Vines curled up a gazebo and there were empty plots in the ground and Ryan guessed it was for the flowers.

“You should see it during the spring,” Kyle said. “It’s amazing.”

“Gavin,” they turned to see Miles looking up at a tree, looking defeated. “Please get down from there.”

“Nah,” Gavin replied, swinging his legs as he sat on a high branch. “Hi, guys!”

He waved down at the three approaching them and Miles gave them a weary look. “As soon as we come here do you know what he does? Run up the goddamn tree  _despite_ me telling him not to.  _Goddammit_ .”

Gavin laughed, throwing a folded leaf at the guard. Miles glared up at him, only prompting the prince to shake a branch, making leaves fall on them.

“Alright, so we’re leaving then?” They agreed and Gavin squawked from above them; hastily making his way down.

“Don’t leave me here!” Gavin jumped off of the lowest branch, stumbling backwards as he landed. He ran after them, jumping on Ryan’s back when he caught up to them. The older man staggered as he regained his balance, hooking his arms around Gavin’s legs.

“Gavin, you weigh like nothing,” Ryan commented as they walked down the hall. Gavin giggled, breath tickling the back of Ryan’s neck. They left the main building, entering the armory behind the castle.

The walls were lined with equipment, various damaged pieces of armor lined for repairs. Scraps were organized in a small shelf and weapons hung on a rack on the other side of the room. Someone had their back to them, humming contently as they hammered metal.

“Jack! Say hi!” Miles said and Jack turned around, confused when he saw the three again.

“What are you guys doing here?” He asked. “And why is Gavin on your shoulders?”

“Eh,” Ryan shrugged. “When’d you work in the castle armory?”

“Not for too long, I mean, I was only recently brought on,” Jack explained, pushing up his goggles. “Do you guys need anything?”

“Just weapon sharpening, thanks.” They ignored Miles and Kyle's dumbfounded looks as they placed their blades on the counter. Gavin pulled the knives from his boots, hesitantly placing them down. His dad gave them to him on his eighteenth birthday and while they were far from winning an award for best father/son relationship, Gavin still felt attached to them. Jack smiled reassuringly.

“Don't worry, Gavin, I won't break them,” Jack started with one of his knives.

“You know Jack?” Miles raised an eyebrow. Ryan simply stated that they were old friends, ignoring Gavin who was poking him on the cheek.

“Why are you guys here, anyway?” The blacksmith asked as he sharpened Ryan's knife. They shared a look.

“We're, uh, doing something for the king,” Gavin said as Jack returned their weapons. He shifted on Ryan's back, awkwardly sheathing his knives back into his boots.

“Oh yeah? What would the king need from you?” Jack smirked, crossing his arms.

“Um,” Gavin glanced at the guards, but they didn't help much, only shrugging in response. “You know that one soul that's kinda dangerous and in the Nether? We're going to go after it.”

Jack's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed several times before he actually said anything. “You can't be serious – you –  _what_ ?”

“Yeah,” Gavin winced, hiding his face in Ryan's shoulder. Jack stared at them disbelievingly, brow furrowed.

“ _You guys are going to get killed_ ,” he seethed and they avoided his eyes.

“We should get going,” Kyle muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. Jack pressed his lips into a line as they left, heading back to the castle. They were immediately greeted by a servant and they sighed, relived.

“Finally, we were looking everywhere for you! King Geoffrey invites you to dinner,” he addressed the three and Kyle made a small 'oh’ noise.

“Thank you,” they hurried to the dining hall, thanking the guards before walking in. The princess was seated in between her parents, bouncing in her seat impatiently. She waved at them as they took their seats, grinning cheekily.

“Glad to see you’ve finally joined us,” Griffon smiled. “How do you like the castle?”

“Oh, it’s bloody top!” Gavin exclaimed and Elliot giggled.

“Your voice is funny,” she commented as servants brought out their food.

“ _Ellie_ ,” the queen said sternly. She pouted, looking at her lap and Gavin laughed.

“It’s alright, Your Majesty,” he said. The servants were swift and the table was set in no time, steaming plates of food tempting the guests.

They mostly ate in silence, the three occasionally sharing what happened during the day. It wasn’t until Griffon escorted Elliot to her room when the tension came, the quietness becoming uncomfortable.

“We got you guys new cloaks; they’ll be delivered to your room tomorrow morning,” the king said. “You’ll leave at noon.”

“Anything else we should know?” Ryan asked and Gavin stared meekly at his goblet of wine.

“Uh, don’t attack anything that doesn’t attack you – or else you’re just creating problems for yourself,” Geoff said, looking down at his hands when they looked at him expectantly. “Sorry, but that’s all we have.

“The portal’s on the lowest floor of the castle and is heavily guarded so I’ll accompany you myself. But after you go through that portal you’re on your own; there isn’t a way to communicate at all.”

“Why are you helping us this much?” Gavin asked coldly, sloshing the wine around in his cup. “We’re literally doing this against our will.”

Geoff sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Because, Gavin, I really do want you to succeed. I’m not trying to send you to your death, because that’s pointless and this soul  _needs_ to be stopped.”

Gavin didn’t answer him, picking at the edge of the tablecloth. Michael and Ryan's reassuring looks went ignored as Gavin fumbled with his hands.

“Alright, go get some sleep. You’ll need it,” Geoff dismissed and they left the room, silent as they went back to their rooms. Miles attempted conversation but no one wanted to talk with tomorrow hanging over their heads.

“G’night, guys,” Gavin closed the door behind him before flopping onto the bed, not bothering to put down his weapons. He shifted, lazily taking off his outer garments and bow when it quickly became uncomfortable.

After weeks of staying in inns, the elegance of the room felt foreign to him and he spent a couple of minutes running his hand over the silks.

He would be going home soon. When this was all over and _if_ he came back alive, he’d have to face his father again and take whatever punishment he was given. Gavin curled in on himself, barely noticing that he was still on top of the sheets.

He closed his eyes, trying to sleep even though he wasn’t tired in the slightest. Gavin shifted onto his back, frowning at the ceiling. He rolled off the bed, slipping on his clothes before he stepped outside.

“Your Royal Highness, you really should get some rest. Why are you out?” Gavin shrugged and the guard frowned. “You’re not allowed on the premise alone, so if you’re planning to take a walk one of us is required to accompany you.”

“Alright then,” Gavin said. “Let’s go.”


End file.
